


4 People Left for Dead

by Four_Five_Still_Alive



Series: Nick and Ellis [1]
Category: Left 4 Dead (Video Games)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-04
Updated: 2018-09-09
Packaged: 2019-07-06 20:08:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 12,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15893223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Four_Five_Still_Alive/pseuds/Four_Five_Still_Alive
Summary: As the Survivors make their way through the post-apocalypse world towards the safety of the military compound they begin to learn a thing or two about each other. Growing up in the south Ellis was never able to act on his sexual preferences.But now that the world is ending...Smoke em' if you got em.





	1. Swamp Fever: Shanty Town

**Author's Note:**

> This is my own version of how the two characters came together over the course of the game. I did a lot of research on the storyline (which gets lost easily if you jump around stages when you play like most) and I did my best to be accurate. There were a few things I noticed I got wrong about the environment but its hard to pick up on them.  
> But let me know if you do!

Ellis ran to the doorway of the raised swamp shanty only to see a horde of infected running up the sheet metal bridge toward him.

  
  
“Ellis get back here!” Coach shouted as the others backtracked to the previous shanty.

 

He turned to look over his shoulder just in time to see the stream of green acid block his path back across the bridge. With a well aimed hip shot from his pump action Nick took out the offending spitter. With the moat of acid behind him and a steadily growing horde in front of him Ellis spun his head back and forth unsure what to do. In the corner of his eye he caught a glimpse of a white propane tank laying just inside the doorframe. With little to no thought he took aim.  
  
“Ellis no!!!” Rochelle shouted as he began to squeeze the trigger of his hunting rifle.  
  
The tank exploded blowing back most of the zombies in the door way and blasting Ellis up against the plywood wall of the shack. He heard nothing but the high pitched humming in his ears. His head felt white hot. He looked down at his left arm and saw a dagger of the white propane tank metal sticking out just below his shoulder. He mindlessly took hold of it and pulled it out watching the blood spread through the fabric of his Tshirt and begin to drip down his arm as he fell forward onto his knees and then onto his face. The green goo began to clear up and his friends ran across the bridge towards him their mouths flapping noiselessly as the high pitched hum faded slowly to black.

 

Ellis blinked looking up at the ceiling of the safe room. His head splitting, his arm aching.

  
  
“Mmmmnnn” He groaned, holding his head as he sat up.

 

“Ellis!” Rochelle said her voice muted by his still damaged ears. “Thank god! What is wrong with you?!? You stupid child! Why would you shoot a propane tank one foot away from you!?!”

 

Nick and Coach sat against the wall of the safe house arms crossed with sour expressions.

 

“d’yall worry ‘bout me?” Ellis chuckled wincing at the pain in his head.

 

“Grow up!” Rochelle shouted “How the hell do you expect to survive if you treat life like a joke?!?”

 

“I don wanna survive, I wanna live.” Ellis said his eyes unusually serious. “That’s the prob’lem with you people. All you’re concerned about is survivin’ but what’s the point in just surviving if you ain’t gonna live? Shoot, at least I’m havin’ fun.” He stood up unsteadily and walked into the musty bedroom of the cinderblock house.

 

“Ellis…” Rochelle said softly walking into the room behind him. He sat down on the moldy bed with his back to her. “Its not easy for us you know… We all lost people, and you’re always going on about your friend Keith and-“  
  
“Keith…” Ellis said with a scoff. “Keith isn’t a friend… To me he’s more than that…”

 

Rochelle stopped and stood with her mouth open in shock. After a moment she approached cautiously and sat down on the bed near Ellis.

 

“You…You love him…?” She asked still unable to believe her ears.

 

Ellis paused for what felt like forever then finally nodded his head ever so slightly turning his face away.

 

“Does…Does Keith know…?”

 

“I told him.” Ellis said flatly. “Right before I beat his head in with a tire Iron…”

 

“Oh god…Ellis, I’m so sorry. I had no idea…”

 

“Whatever. Born n’ raised in the south ya can’t really admit this kinda stuff to people, much less yourself… I guess I just never really thought much about carin’ for people before Keith. I can’t imagine carin’ for anyone after.”

 

“I won’t tell.”

 

“Naw. Doesn’t matter. S’not like I got anyone left I even know to judge me for it. All’s left is God. And with this damn pandemic who knows God’s even there ‘ny more.” He wiped his wrist against his nose though his eyes were dry.

 

“I wish there was something I could say…” Rochelle began. “Look, who knows if any of us even have friends or family out there anymore? As far as I know all I have left is you dumb boys.” She rubbed his head affectionately. “I mean, we don’t even know Coach’s first name, Let alone each others last. I guess all there is to say is…can’t you live _and_ survive? For Keith? For us? We’re all each other’s got.”

 

Ellis smirked “I s’pose. As much fun as it was wachin’ those sons of bitches blow up, lookin’ back I’m not sure its worth the headache.”

 

Rochelle stood up walked over to him and kissed him gently on the top of the head. “Give that some thought next time.”

 

She left the room joining coach back in the safe house for the night.“He’s learned his lesson I think. We should give him some time. Hey wheres-?”

She turned and saw Nick leaning on the wall right outside the bedroom door.

“-Nick… How long have you been there?” She asked quietly.

 

“Its not important.” He said stoically. “You’re right. We are all each others got.”

 


	2. Swamp Fever: The plantation

The sun was surprisingly bright coming through the bars of the safe room. The 4 survivors awoke to the sound of two zombies reaching their arms through the bars clawing at them and sputtering blood.

“Good morning beautiful!” Ellis said to the zombies. “How are y’all this fine day?”The zombie spat blood onto his coveralls.

“Well that ain’t nice.” He said still smiling.

“Quit playing with them and just ice em’ already” Nicks sleeping bag grunted.

“Things I’ve learned about Nick so far:” Ellis dictated to no one in particular. “He is NOT a morning person.”

“Or afternoon or evening person.” Coach added“He likes money, even when its worthless-““Its not WORTHLESS” Nick put his arms through his white coat he had been using as a pillow.

“Right” Rochelle chimed in “It is very handy as kindling.”

“When its not soaked through with swamp water anyway…” Coach cocked his gun and fired at their wakeup call.

“He hogs all the jerky. Gimme that!” Ellis yanked the bag of provisions out of the conman’s hands. “Jerky is meant to be savored you animal.” Grinning he tucked a piece into his cheek like chewing tobacco.

“I bet you loved big league chew as a kid.”

“As a kid? I got me some of that good stuff right here!” He pulled a wad of wrapper out of his coveralls.

“You been holding out on me boy?” Coach took the gum from Ellis and ate a mouthful.

“Ey! Slow down! That may be the last pack left in the whole world!”

More gunshots echoed through the small room as Rochelle fired out the door at the zombies wandering around the small lake.

“You boys ready?” She asked shoving a few more boxes of bullets into her pockets.

“Ah was born re-““Don’t.” Nick interrupted by shoving another piece of jerky into Ellis’s open mouth.  
Ellis chewed happily as he followed his friends out the door.

They wandered down the dirt street of the meager workers houses. A few cars strewn about, one or two common running at them as their scent drifted on the wind.

“Heh. We must smell like swamp water an’ B.O.” Ellis chuckled at his train of thought.

“Hows the arm kid?” Rochelle asked smiling at his stream of consciousness.

“Kinda sore.” He confessed causally swinging his machete into a zombie head. “Good thing I’m a righty. The way I see it, so long as I rest it, by tomorrow I’ll be right as rain!”“Well rest up kid. You’re the only sharp shooter we’ve got. Thank god for Rochelles good hearing or she’d be useless.”

“Hey!” Rochelle objected, missing a zombie with her pistol. “I may not be a crack shot like the kid, but I spent 2 years on my college softball team Coach!” She pulled the bat off her back and took the zombies head clean off as it ran at her.

Rochelle stood in perfect bating form follow through smiling as the head flew through the air. After a moment her expression changed.

“Ro-“

“Shh!” She hissed listening intently. They had learned to follow her direction when it came to her sharp senses. She stood suddenly rigid and turned quickly to face her companions.

“HUNTER!”

It was too late. Creeping out of the barn behind them it leapt through the air landing directly on Nick. Coach ran towards him with heavy foot falls. He cocked his shot gun as he approached. He’d have to be directly next to him in order to avoid hitting Nick.

“SMOKER!”

Coach dropped his gun as the long tongue wrapped around his neck and upper body dragging him backwards against the wall of the ramshackle housing. He gasped for air, choking and sputtering as he kicked his legs against the wood siding.

“Ellis, I got Nick you get Coach!”

Ellis raised his hunting riffle to his eye to take aim at the tongue.

“AHH!” He yelled dropping it suddenly and grasping his arm.

Rochelle had varsity-soft-balled the hunter off Nick with one swift motion. After it was clear of him she stood over the sinister growling creature and brought the bat down on to its skull with a sickening crack. Nick had suffered a few scratches before she got to him, but mostly surface wounds. She dragged him up pulling his arm around her neck. Against the wall across the street she saw Coach dangling, turning blue.

“Ellis! Ellis Coach! He can’t breathe!”

Ellis was crumpled on the ground in pain, covered in a cold sweat. His shoes dug into the dirt, teeth gnashing against each other as he tried to find some relief from the stabbing within his arm.

“ELLIS, GET COACH!”

Ellis gave a loud cry to rally himself. He reached for his gun, the pain in his arm was searing. He brought the sight to his eye, his hands shaking horribly; he took a deep breath and steadied his hand for one second. It was enough. The shot passed through the smoker and Coach dropped to the ground.

“Go get Coach.” Nick said sanding firmly on his own.

Nick ran to Ellis, who had collapsed to his knees clawing at his wound, the moment he had taken the shot.

“Let me look at it kid.”“GET AWAY FROM ME!”

He lashed out with his good arm, falling forward onto his face. He gritted his teeth and moaned grinding his forehead into the dirt.

“Look, kid, I think you got shrapnel from that propane tank lodged in your arm. Every time you move it shifts around.”Ellis just yelled into the ground kicking out his feet as he tried to find some sort of relief.

“Whats wrong with him?” Coach asked. “Get him to stop that shrieking before he attracts a horde!”

“Hey, Coach, Rochelle, come hold the kid down for me.”

Through a large amount of screaming they laid Ellis out on his back. Nick took a stiletto out of his coat along with a hip flask. He poured some of the alcohol on the blade and then took a swig of it himself.

“What the hell is that?” Rochelle asked.

“Moonshine. Courtesy of our good old swamp people.” He offered it to Rochelle.

“I ain’t drinking no swamp water!”

Coach reached across Ellis and took the flask. After taking a long drink of it himself he poured some of it into Ellis’s mouth. Ellis swallowed it then sputtered and coughed.

“Yea, thats some good shit. Like drinking gasoline isn’t it?” Coached tried to reassure him with his odd brand of humor.

“Here we go kid.”  
Nick cut the stitches on his arm and used the knife to gently part the skin and look inside it. Coach and Rochelle looked down at the youngest of their group with a mixture of pain and sympathy. Neither of them had ever seen someone experience such agony before. After watching Ellis jump off of buildings, over car hoods and down flights of stairs they were almost convinced that he was as invincible as he thought he was. The propane tank incident had proven that he was vulnerable, but for the first time on their journey they were looking at him for what he was. A young man barely touching adulthood.

“Found it!” Nick shouted.

“Bout damn time! The zombies heard Ellis hollering!”

Ellis was quite strong. It was no mystery he had spent his life before the apocalypse as a mechanic. As they attempted to hold him in place they found it more difficult than they had originally thought. A small slow horde was making its way towards them as more lumbered out of the houses. Coach and Rochelle kept an eye on it, but as their patients sounds became more apparent to the infected they began to move faster.

“I still gotta get it out! I need to make the cut wider.”“Ellis, sweetie, bite down on this.” Rochelle put a stick in his mouth.

Nick poured moonshine over his fingers and took one last swig before he pulled the mangled piece of metal out of his companions arm. Ellis bit down so hard on the stick it splintered in his mouth. Nick poured the remaining moonshine into the wound and then quickly sewed it up with the suture from the health kit.

“Times up!” Coach shouted as he and Rochelle let Ellis’s arms go.

Several zombies had broken off from the pack and were beginning to sprint towards them. Rochelle didn’t even reach for her gun, there was no time. She took up her bat and expertly swung at the closest few then made her way towards the ones emerging from the homes. Coach shot from his hip at the larger crowd. The spray of buckshot took out the frontmost attacker while damaging the ones around it enough to slow them.

Nick wrapped gauze tightly around the young mans arm to the sound of cover fire. He glanced up every few seconds to make sure they weren’t in danger. Ellis spat the pieces of the stick out of his mouth his chest rising and falling heavily.

“How did you know how to do that?” He gasped.

Nick untucked his blue fitted shirt exposing a scar on his abdomen.

“I jumped through a plate glass window when I was about your age. I thought I was fine until I made a wrong twist one day. Worst pain I’ve felt in my life. Zombies be damned. Its gonna leave a nasty scar though, I’m not much of a seamstress. There, all done. Now what do you say?”

Ellis lifted his head off the dirt just enough to see his friends finishing off the last of the mob in the distance. He turned to Nick and raised an eyebrow.

“Got any more of that moonshine?”


	3. Swamp Fever: The Plantation, Crescendo.

“Right…Defend the plantation house…how hard can that be?”

“Ellis, if you jinx us I’mma kill you boy.”

An eerie, familiar, howl echoed in the distance.

“Get in line Coach.” Ellis smirked crouching behind the minigun on the porch.

“Uh-uh no you don’t. You just got operated on by a dirty conman.”

Rochelle pulled at the scruff of his shirt and pushed him backwards into Nick.

“Dirty conman, do me a favor and watch the puppy would you.”

“Puppy!?!”

“Dirty!?!”

“Aww shut it, both of ya. Go downstairs and find a good place to defend. Here they come!”

The sound of the minigun thudded on the porch as they ran down the lavish staircase.

“Hey look! A kitchen!”

“Ellis, now is not the time!”

“I bet they have some booze! Lookat that! They do!”

“I’d hardly call a mint julep booze.”

“Shows what you know, its wine!”

“Still wouldn’t call it booze. They’re coming in the door, can we find someplace to defend!?”

“All these southern plantation kitchens got two doors.” He pointed down the wall to the other side of the room. “That oughta bottle neck em’ so we can take em out single file.”

Nick was speechless for a moment.

“Not a bad plan for a guy doped up on ketamine…” He tried to hide the fact that he was impressed at the plan in his sarcastic tone.

“Yea, thank god everyone abandoned their shirt at the hotel am I right? Hey do these zombies look like ZZ Top to you?”

“Just shoot the damn things!”

The wooden doors started to splinter apart as the zombies pounded at them. The horde kept coming and coming and the zombies piled up in heaps in the doorways.

“Guys? Guys! I hear a tank! Get up here!”

They made their way to the doors of the kitchen and realized the only set back to Ellis’ plan was egress. They stumbled over the bodies trying to make their way to the grand staircase in the hall, but a deep sickening roar shook the plantation.

“T-tank’s comin.”

The front door flew off its hinges as a monstrous forearm broke through the frame and the drywall.

“…BOYS!?!” Rochelle’s voice came from the porch.

The tank burst through the door its gorilla arms swinging wildly. Ellis was thrown clear back into the kitchen as its arm swept the hallway. His landing was surprisingly soft as he found himself in a pile of corpses. He got back to his feet hearing Nick shout in the hall.

“Help! I can’t hold him off alone! Hel-“

“Nick!!!” He climbed the zombie bodies once again to get out, but once again it wasn’t easy.

Flames, black smoke and the smell of gasoline came from the porch upstairs. Coach and Rochelle yelled and fired their guns in the distance, but Ellis ignored it. Nick was lying on his back in the hall not moving. He ran towards him franticly.

“Nick? Nick c’mon get up!”

He was unresponsive.

“C’mon man who’s gonna patch me up if you kick off now?” Ellis leaned down and put his ear to his face. He felt no breath. Ellis began to hyperventilate, he put his hands on his head in a panic looking down at the limp body. “What do I do, oh man, what do I DO!?! CPR right? Gotta get him breathing…”  
He ripped Nicks shirt open and placed his palms on his chest. He had never done CPR before. He had taken a class back in high school but other than that he had only seen it on TV. He took a deep breath and pushed down on Nicks sternum forcefully. Nick suddenly let out a huge cough and then gasped repeatedly. Ellis dropped backwards to the floor, falling on his back draping his hand over his eyes relieved.

“Oh my god…I thought you were dead…I thought you were dead…”

“T-tank…!” Nick gasped still not breathing properly.

“Yea, you got hit by a tank man…”

“T-TANK…!!!” He wheezed again pointing.

“Holy shit!”

Ellis scrambled to his feet as he saw the tank standing in the foyer. It was badly burned and full of bullet holes, it was moving much slower than usual, almost winded. Ellis fired his shotgun repeatedly at it, feet planted firmly at Nicks side, but the tanks heavy footsteps kept coming. Closer and closer…Ellis closed his eyes and kept shooting. Finally he heard the empty clicking as the gun ran out of ammo. He was finished. Click, click, click…

He opened his eyes and saw the hulking mass of zombie lying a foot away from him. After a heavy sigh of relief Ellis dropped to his knees and laughed.

“BOYS! BOYS!” Rochelle came running down the stairs looking very flushed, Coach limping slightly behind her. “Oh thank god!” She put her hand on her forehead as she saw Ellis still laughing and Nick lying on the floor, chest rising and falling heavily.

“Nick, ey, Nick…How you doen’ man?” Ellis turned to him still laughing.

“I’ve- ’cough cough’ -been better…”

“Dude. Have some Ketamine.” He offered the bottle.

“Maybe on the boat boys. We gotta’ book it!”


	4. Hard Rain: Before Milltown

They finally had a chance to breathe. They watched as the two tanks on the dock burned in a raging gasoline fire and faded into the distance.

 

“How you folks doen’?” Virgil asked spiritedly over the speaker.

 

“You guys hang here, I’m going to go talk to our savior.” Rochelle smiled.

 

The three boys nursed their wounds quietly for a moment until Ellis chimed in with an offer of ketamine and wine.

 

“I can’t believe you kept that wine.” Nick remarked as Coach popped some pills.

 

“I figure I’ll save it for a special occasion.”

 

“Like what?”

 

“I dunno. Losing my virginity?”

  
  
“What was that?”

 

Ellis drank heavily from the wine bottle.

 

“Hey guys.” Rochelle leaned over the boats upper deck. “Virgil had some cigarettes laying around. I hate to offer because I can’t stand the damn things but…anyone want a butt?”

 

“Throw em’ here!” said Nick all too enthusiastically.

 

“Seriously?” She asked, though she tossed them to him anyway. “Didn’t you just puncture a lung?”

 

“I just got the wind knocked out of me.” He pulled a cigarette out of the pack between his lips.

 

Rochelle tossed him the lighter.

 

“What about you Coach?”

 

“I made my players all quit. I’d feel bad if I went back on that deal now. But I will take some more of them pills though. My ankle is killing me.”

 

“What did you coach?”

 

“Sports.”

 

“Still not gonna give us a name?”

 

“Yea, sure, I’ll give you a name… Jacob Lebowits.” He read off the bottle.

 

“Careful Coach, or we may just start calling you that.” Ellis smirked at him.

 

Coach bit down on a couple of pills and scowled at him.

 

“What about you kid? You got the black lung?” Nick offered him the pack.

 

“I’ve been drinking since I was thirteen but I’ve never smoked.” Ellis smiled nostalgically. “My mom always hated it.” He rubbed his chin contemplatively looking at the offer in Nicks hand.

 

“No time like the apocalypse kid.”

 

Nick took the cigarette from his mouth and held it out to Ellis. The young man looked at it in wonder for a moment. The filter still glistened with signs of Nicks lips. The reflection of saliva illuminated by the soft glow of ember captivated him for a moment. He blushed. Taking the cigarette between his fingers he put it to his lips and inhaled deeply. He lifted his head and slowly exhaled the cloud of smoke from his lungs, hypnotized by the rising fumes in the thick humid air. He returned the cigarette to Nick coughing lightly.

 

“Welcome to the end of days kid.” He inhaled. “At least you aren’t a virgin to cigarettes anymore.” He exhaled, tendrils of smoke billowing from his mouth with each word.

 

Ellis tipped back the bottle of wine relishing in the stale taste of smoke being washed from his mouth.

 

“Easy kid. Don’t drink it all.”

 

“Whats’ it to you?”

 

“You’re saving it for a special occasion right?” Nick made eye contact and winked. Inhaling once more he burned the cigarette down to ash. He held it for a moment looking down at his feet. Ellis watched, captivated by the spell of alcohol and ketamine as he gently let the smoke escape from his lips once more, wrapping around his face and floating off into the night air.

 


	5. Hard Rain: Milltown

“Time to get up kid.”

 

Ellis sat up on the deck of the boat, his shoulder stiff from sleeping on the hard wood.

 

“Holy crap…Is that sun SETTING?” He asked astonished.

 

“Yep, you slept all day sweetie.” Rochelle smiled at him.

 

“Wow…That Ketamine shit is good…”

 

Ellis rolled his stiff right shoulder, he tried to roll the left as well but stopped and winced as a sharp pain shot through his deep wound. The fact that it merely ached was a good sign. He gently lifted and turned his left arm about to determine his range of movement as the boat pulled up to a dock.

 

“Pee break?”

 

“Gas break.”

 

“Eh Coach, I don’t need to know what you’re do’en in there…”

 

“Not _my_ gas…Boat gas.”

 

“Oh…Well can we find a bathroom too? I haven’t pissed in twelve hours apparently…”

 

“Looks like we’ll be finding more than that…” Nick said gruffly.

 

The “out of gas” sign leered at them like a joke gone too far.

 

“Virgil? How bad do we need gas?”

 

“We’re running on fumes little lady.” He responded over the speaker.

 

“Ok… Nick said loud enough for Virgil to hear.We’ll go get gas from the diesel station up the road. You head out to the middle of the river to keep safe from the zombies.”

 

“Signal me when you get back!”

 

The boat sputtered to a start and made its way out to anchor leaving the survivors, once again, on the zombie infested mainland.

 

“I don’t like the look of those clouds…” Rochelle said cautiously.

 

“Dude! Check out the ninja sword!!!”

 

“No.”

 

“Aww come on Ro! I’ve never had a chance to play with one of these!”

 

“Which is probably why you still have all your limbs.” Nick laughed lighting a cigarette.

 

“That’s not even the point! Ellis, you’ll open your stiches if you swing that thing. Stick to the machete.”

 

“Let the kid have some fun.” Coach smiled.

 

“Ye-he-hea!”

 

Ellis swung the Katana down onto a broken crate.

 

“Ah-! Ow…”

 

“Would you look at that, you’re stiches are bleeding.” She pointed to the red seeping into his gauze bandage. Her expression radiated with _I told you so._

 

“Ketamine…” Ellis held out his hand.

 

“Nope. You gotta learn somehow.” Rochelle caught the bottle mid-arc as Coach attempted to toss it to him.

 

Coach and Rochelle bantered back and forth about the difference between ‘fun’ and ‘responsibility’ as they headed into the burger joint to salvage some weapons or ammo. Nick laughed quietly to himself as he pulled up Ellis’ sleeve to remove the soiled bandage.

 

“How bad is it?” Ellis asked woefully.

 

“Don’t be such a baby.” He said still smiling.

 

Nick held his cigarette in his lips using both his hands to carefully unwrap the gauze.

 

“Ere’ ya see? You just upset it a bit, none of the stiches broke, you’re fine. Hey Rochelle! See if you can find some disinfectant!”

 

“I’m not fine…” He pouted. “I’d be fine if she’d give me the damn pills.”

 

“You’re lucky she hasn’t found a spray bottle or she’d be squirting you in the nose with it every time you did something stupid. Heh, you’d be soaked.”

 

“Looks like I’ll be soaked anyway.”

 

The large clouds in the distance were growing closer. They could see the lighting illuminating them here and there.

 

“I’ve got cherry vodka and regular vodka.” Rochelle appeared in the door of the restaurant.

 

“Regular. Get rid of that bitchy shit.”

 

“Wait! I want the bitchy shit!” Ellis held out his good hand. “And you can’t deny me that! I’m legal!”

 

“Let’s see your license.” She joked but handed him the bottle anyway.

 

“Ah! Cherries.” Ellis grinned after taking a large swig.

 

“Ug, that smells like cough syrup…” Nick finished cleaning the blood and bandaging his arm.

 

Ellis turned after another gulp and breathed the cherry scent into Nicks face. Nick looked at him, unfazed, and exhaled a large breath of smoke back at him. Ellis coughed and waved his hand through the air.

 

“Ready boys?” Rochelle asked from the other side of the restaurant.

 

Ellis chugged the remaining vodka, belched loudly then shattered the empty bottle on the ground.

 

“Keep your wits about you kid.” Nick warned handing him his machete.

 

“Don’ worry.” Ellis burped again. “It was only like, 25%...”

 

They made their way through the playground and past the garage sale. The red door of a safe house up ahead came just in time as the rain began to fall.


	6. Hard Rain: Before the Sugar Mill

Ellis sat with his hunting rifle propped between the bars of the saferoom door. The other survivors were getting a few hours of sleep before they got ready to continue towards the gas station. Having slept an inordinate amount of time on the boat Ellis was wide awake. He was surprised how much he had missed head-shotting zombies with his trusty riffle. Bracing the rifle against the door he was able to hold it without raising his left arm too high, once the others woke up he’d have to give it back to Nick.

 

“Figures you wouldn’t be tired.” Nick said scratching his head as he came down the stairs.

 

His white jacket was slung over his shoulder and his eyes looked heavy.

 

“What are you doing up?”

 

“Thunder sounds like gunshots. I can’t stay asleep. I keep dreaming that I’m going to wake up to the three of you fighting off a horde… Nice shot kid.”

 

Ellis took his eye away from the rifle sight and turned to look at him. His blue shirt was scratched up from the hunter and the top 3 buttons had come off his shirt when Ellis had ripped it open to perform CPR.

 

“What’cha looking at kid?” Nick noticed his gaze.

 

“…Scratches.” He lied, still eyeing Nicks clavicle and sternum. “Hunter got you good eh?” He returned to his riffle sight.

 

“These are paper cuts compared to the shit _you_ put yourself through.”

 

“If I’m gon’ die I’m taking some sons’ o bitches with me.”

 

Headshot.

 

“But…If I’m gon’ live…”

 

Headshot.

 

“I’m gonna kill em’…”

 

Headshot.

 

“Every, last, one.”

 

Headshot.

 

“Woa! D’you see that?!? Two with one bullet! Hot-damn! I thought that only happened in the movies. I couldn’t have done that on purpose if I tried!”

 

He turned towards Nick face still near the sight. Nick was crouching looking out the bars at whatever Ellis was yelling about. Nicks face was about two inches away from his. Ellis dropped the gun and jumped backwards.

 

“Woa, take it easy kid.”

 

Ellis felt his face rush full of blood. His head felt red-hot.Nick chuckled.

 

“You know, I heard you talking to Rochelle.”

 

Ellis felt like his heart just exploded.

 

“About your friend Keith?”

 

It felt like his stomach had just dropped out his butt.

 

“Sorry your friend died…”

 

_But bandage yourself from now on faggot._

Ellis hadn’t breathed since the word “Keith”. Every horrible thing Nick could possibly say to him ran on a loop through his head.

_It’s a shame that propane tank didn’t kill you, homo._

 

“…I was only in Georgia to pick up my girlfriend…”

 

_You know, girls? The way nature intended it!_

“ She…Uh…She died…” Nick swallowed a catch in his throat. “So, I sympathize, about your friend, Keith.”

 

Sympathy? Was it possible he hadn’t heard? Was it possible he only heard the part about Keith dying?

 

“S-Sorry…” Ellis finally found his voice.

 

“Nah.” Nick lit a cigarette, his hands shaking slightly. “She actually died ten years ago…She donated her body to science and I guess they got some good use out of her because I got a call to come collect her ashes.”

 

“You?”

 

“Her parents died in the ten years she’s been gone. I was the only person left to call. I needed a change anyway. There were people looking for me back home in the city… I figured I could find some gullible southerners to hustle at cards or pool…”

 

“Heh. Shit you Yankees er dumb. Don’t you know we _invented_ hustling? Hell, the only things to do down here are watch football, get drunk and, hustle some pool.”

 

Nick grinned and exhaled smoke out his nose.

 

“I really am sorry about your girlfriend though…”

 

“It was a long time ago, it just drags up old memories, you know?”

 

“I wonder if Keith will ever be an old memory. I feel like he’s gonna haunt me forever.” Ellis cursed himself for bringing up Keith again.

 

“Don’t worry kid, you’ll soldier on. We all do.” He rubbed his head firmly pushing his hat down over his eyes.

 

Ellis smiled and removed his hat.He ran his hand through his hair.

 

“Wow…” Nick said staring at him. “Its funny to see you with your hat off. You look so young.”

 

“Why d’you think I wear it all the time? I’m tired of people calling me ‘kid’ and ‘sport’. I’m 23 you know.” He put his hat back on. “Doesn’t work though.”

 

Rochelle came down the stairs behind them rubbing her eyes. “What are you boys doing down here?”

 

“Smoking” Nick motioned with his cigarette.

 

“Son’s o bitches.” Ellis pointed out the door.

 

“Well I hope you got your rest.” Coach thudded down the stairs. “We got us some work to do.” He handed Ellis an AK-47 and tossed Nick some bullets for the hunting riffle.

 

The four of them burst out the door to the half-dozen remaining zombies and made their way through the street to the crumbling building.After a quick sweep through the rooms for supplies they wandered out into the yard full of run down machinery. The air around them was humid and heavy. Ellis could feel the sweat gathering on the back of his neck.They passed by a few infected on the way but they weren’t worth navigating the equipment to get to. 

 

“Dude, this wall is only half there…”

 

“Figures you’d say _half there_ instead of _half gone”_

 

“Well come on guys! I bet the gas is on the other side of this building!”

 

Ellis jogged along the wall towards the end.

 

“Hey kid, don’t go to far ahead there could be a-“

 

“BOOMER!!!” Rochelle shouted before it even rounded the wall.

 

“ELLIS!” Nick shouted reaching out a hand, as if he could have reached him. Rochelle held him back to prevent him from being puked on too.

 

Ellis had tried to cock his gun, but he was too late. The boomer opened its mouth and vomited all over the young mechanic. Ellis fell backwards onto the ground as every zombie within a 30 foot radius was attracted to the scent. They descended around him scratching and biting.

 

“NO!!!” Nick shouted shaking Rochelle’s grip and running toward the crowd. He drew the Katana from his back and with a wide sweep took down 5 zombies. “Ellis, if you can hear me, crawl this way!”

 

“Rochelle, over here!” Coach led her around the wall.

 

The boomers legs stood upright on the other side.

 

“Looks like Ellis got him.”

 

“Not in time… We gotta get the boys out of that crowd.”

 

They fired at the thick horde of zombies, after a few minutes the bodies began to fall and they could see Nick and Ellis swinging their machete and Katana managing to keep them at bay.

 


	7. Hard Rain: Sugar Mill

“I think that’s the last of them.” Ellis said wiping the last bit of bile from his forehead.

 

Nick said nothing. He rounded the wall and continued on ahead.

 

“Hey Nick wait up! Where did Rochelle and Coach go? Nick?”

 

Ellis jogged along side the trudging gambler.

 

“Whats up dude? You hurt?”

 

Nick stopped and held up a hand.

 

“Whats that?” Ellis said quietly. “A woman’s voice…ROCHELLE!” Ellis ran to the edge of the main production building. “Rochelle! Roche-“ He stopped dead in his tracks.

 

Around the corner he found a field with 3 witches in it. The closest to him began to growl. He tried to back away slowly. She was staring right at him. He took another step backwards and heard the clang of two metal parts he had kicked together behind him. Her growling intensified, became higher pitched. Ellis closed his eyes and stood frozen. An arm bear hugged him from behind. Nick tossed a road flare into the center of the yard. The witches gaze turned to follow it and by the time she turned back they were gone. She continued to stir for a moment but finally closed her eyes and continued to cry.

 

Inside the tattered trailer office parked in the yard Nick held Ellis pressed against the wall a hand clapped tightly over his mouth. They listened intently for the witch, finally Nick used his free hand to peer through the blinds to confirm she had sat back down. Unfortunately she was right in front of the door. Nick slowly removed his hand from Ellis’s mouth.

 

“Thanks man” Ellis whispered. “I thought I was a gonner.” He smirked.

 

Nick grabbed Ellis violently by the shirt and threw him into a pile of boxes on the far side of the trailer.

 

“Ey, what the hell man!”

 

Nick approached him, rage flashing in his grey eyes. He grasped the young mans shirt once again and dragged him to his feet. With surprising strength he pushed Ellis against the wall once more and raised him up until his toes were barely touching the ground.

 

“You fucking idiot.” He said seriously but quietly. “Do you even know what you’ve just DONE.” Nick spat his words angrily into his face. “You tore ahead and got hit by that boomer almost getting yourself killed, got us separated from our group and then did it all over again!” Nick dropped Ellis to his feet and then grabbed him by the neck. Ellis could feel his cold rings pressing into his skin, he could feel it getting harder to breathe as his windpipe was constricted. “If you want to get yourself killed, fine, go ahead, shoot the fucking propane tank again. But if you EVER drag me into your death trap with you I will shoot you in the leg and leave you for the zombies.”

 

“G-get off me man!” Ellis wheezed.

 

Nick released him and took a few steps back.

 

“I don’t know what your problem is.” Ellis said between deep breaths. “Its not like I asked you to run into that hoard to save me. You want to leave me as bait while you turn around and run the other way? Fine! You had the perfect opportunity, TWICE. So just fuck off already!”

 

“Why you spoiled piece of-“ Nick took him by the arm violently.

 

“AH! Ahn…My arm… Nick…”

 

Nicks expression changed suddenly. He angrily gripped the boys wounded arm tighter.

 

“Ah-AHN!” Ellis cried out.

 

Nick let go of his arm. Before Ellis could react Nick pressed him against the wall in a passionate kiss. Ellis was wide eyed as the man skillfully wrapped his tongue around his own. He tried to breathe through his nose, uncertain what was happening. But after a moment he felt a rush of emotional pleasure he didn’t think he was capable of. He closed his eyes and allowed himself to be swept into the kiss.

 

Ellis had only kissed girls before and he had never enjoyed it. This was different. He could feel Nicks muscled beneath his jacket, he could feel the other mans unshaven face scraping against his own, he could smell the distant hint of aftershave from a grooming long since passed. Ellis put his arms around Nicks neck. The older man reached down and took him by the back of the knees pulling Ellis’s legs around him pushing him up harder against the wall. Ellis could feel the other mans hardness against his own. He had never been happier in his whole life.

 

Ellis’s whole body was hot. He grabbed Nicks lapel and pulled the white jacket off his shoulders. Lips still locked, Nick lowered his arms and let his jacket fall to the floor. Freed from the confines of his coat Nick ran his hand under the back of Ellis’s shirt. He felt the boy’s soft skin, the dip of his lower back, every vertebra running up his spine. With his other hand he took the back of the young mans neck and kissed him deeper.

 

 

 

Ellis pulled Nicks blue shirt out of the waist of his pants. The thought had crossed his mind before that Nick had a strange sense of priorities, tucking his shirt in during the zombie apocalypse. But at that particular moment Ellis thought nothing. All he wanted at that moment was to get the blue shirt off. He pulled it up over Nicks chest, not bothering to unbutton it. Nick crossed his arms and took the hem of his shirt pulling it up over his head.

 

When he opened his eyes he expected to see Ellis’s pouting lips, blue eyes and strong chin in front of him. But to his surprise he saw the trailers wall. Ellis grasped him around the waist and tackled him (not unlike a charger) into the cardboard pile behind him.

 

“Ahhh…” Nick sighed happily as Ellis ran his tongue across his chest. He heard the clink of him undoing his belt and snapped out of the moment. “Ellis wait, we cant do this- Ellis!”

 

Nothing was going to stop him. For the first time in his life someone had opened the door that Ellis had kept so securely shut. Going through puberty with the most ignorant hicks you could imagine Ellis always felt nothing but shame in himself. He hid behind constant streams of stories, talking and smiles. Who knows how long he would have before he’d have to shut himself back behind that door? Just as nick began to object Ellis grasped the mans belt, pants and boxers by the hips and in one quick motion pulled them down exposing Nicks hard phallus.

 

The heat took him once more, he placed his tongue against the base and ran it up the length of him. Nick tilted his head back in ecstasy; it had been a long time since he had felt that pleasure. But the mere weeks since Nicks last sexual encounter were meaningless as Ellis’s entire life –especially puberty- he had waited for this.

 

“E-El... I’m not sure you want to do this, I’m not- Ahhh…”

 

Ellis took him into his mouth and ran his lips up and down as far as his gag-reflex would allow him. He raised and lowered his head feeling the soft skin of Nicks waist against his rough mechanics fingers. He remembered nights alone in his room, touching himself looking at sports magazines. He tried to recall what he had imagined any one of those men doing to him. He tried to recall what felt good, what brought him to-

 

“Oh-oh my god Ellis, wait…” Nick breathed. “You have to- I’m about to-“ Nick closed his eyes and put his hand on Ellis’s shoulder trying to warn him to pull away. But Ellis kept going. Moving his tongue against his shaft, running his lips over the ridge at his tip, tightening as he went back down.

 

“Uh-Uhhhhn AHHH!” Nicks hips shook.

 

Ellis clenched his eyes and stopped moving. He kept his lips around him, swallowing deeply, until he felt Nick’s muscles relax.Ellis pulled his head away. He sat up and coughed lightly, wiping the corner of his mouth on the back of his hand. Nick sat forward quickly tucking himself into his pants.

 

“I’m sorry! I tried to push you away, I didn’t mean to-“

 

Ellis tried to hide his involuntary smile with the back of his hand and failing to do so he turned his head away. Nick had seen the smile, unsure what to say.

 

“Heh.” Ellis laughed pulling his knees up, resting his elbows on them. In a moment he was going to be embarrassed. He had just…A man…A STRAIGHT man. As the string of exited thoughts ran through his head he kept his back to Nick and smiled happily to himself. He let go a huge sigh of relief. In a moment he was going to be embarrassed, but right now the apocalypse was the best thing that had ever happened to him.

 

“You _did_ hear didn’t you?” He finally said.

 

Nick could hear the smile in his voice.

 

“That you’re gay? …Yea.” Nicks voice echoed the same expression.

 

Ellis stood and turned around a shy half smile on his face.

 

“Th-thanks.” He scratched the back of his head bashfully. “I-I know that was probably really weird for you, but…I’ve always wanted to…” His soft smile was sad. “D-don’t worry man. I wont make it weird. Lets you and me just pretend it didn’t happen ok?” He adjusted his coveralls around his waist, they had become a bit tight.

 

“Ellis-“ Nick began.

 

“Hey! Are you two in there?” Coaches deep voice came from outside the trailer. “C’mon out, the witches’r gone!”

 

Before Nick could stop him Ellis had grabbed his gun and left the trailer.

 

“Oh thank god!” Rochelle threw her arms around his neck and pulled him in tightly holding back tears. “I’m sorry we left you, the witches were wandering over because of the gunfire and we didn’t want them to attack any of us.”

 

“Its ok Ro. It all worked out for the best.”

 


	8. Mill Town: Sugarmill, ending.

The horde clawed through the gate at the survivors on the service elevator. Once it dropped to the ground floor the zombies began to throw themselves off the edge.

“Hoo-eee!” Ellis hooted “Damn things are killin’ themselves now!” He fired his AK into the air. “Come and get some you son’s of bitches!” He held his arms out welcomingly as zombie after zombie cracked their head on the concrete ledge below. 

“Ellis! Stop it! Listen to me.” Nick grabbed him by the shoulder.

“I know, I know, or you’ll shoot me in the leg and leave me for zombie bait.” He turned and walked into the cane field. “Be careful, I hear a witch.” 

“What the hell happened to you two in that trailer?” Rochelle asked Nick. “Did you threaten him?!?”

“I…uh…yes and no…”“I can’t BELIVE you!” She shoved him. “Lets go, we gotta get to the kid before he gets lost in this corn maze!” 

The three ran in after him following the pipe. 

“That kid is going to get us killed.” Coach grumbled “Hnnnn!”

In front of them in a puddle was a witch. Coach tried to step back into the cane but it was too late. The witch stood screaming in a high pitched growl. Rochelle appeared behind coach and gasped. It wasn’t until Nick, with his bright white coat and shiny gold rings, parted his way through the leaves that she attacked. With a quick slash of her large claws she pushed Coach headfirst into the large pipe to their left. Rochelle held her gun out sideways across her chest in defense as the witch pushed her backwards into the mud, Nick soon followed. The witch slashed right and left. Her claws grazed the edge of his face as he tried to hold her off with the blade of his katana. He felt his forearm split open and another gash sting across his forehead, her high pitched screams and horrible face all he could see.

Ellis kicked the witch in the back with the heel of his boot. She stumbled forward off Nick who let his arms fall to his side, exhausted. Taking advantage of her confusion Ellis shoved her down into the swamp cocked his combat shotgun and held it against the base of her neck. He pulled the trigger severing her spine sending a pool of infected blood and spinal fluid running amidst the muddy water of the shallow puddle.

Nick breathed heavily staring up at the cloudy sky. His arm was bleeding badly and he could feel the cut on his forehead running down his face mixed with sweat, stinging his eyes. Ellis’s face leered over his view of the clouds. Nick, heaved grateful breaths staring at the boys shadowed face through his one eye that wasn’t soaked in blood. Ellis removed a red bandana from his coverall pocket and tied it tightly around Nicks arm. Nick gasped in pain as the mechanic double knotted it. 

“Get up, I need your help with Coach.”

Rochelle was relatively unharmed aside from a few new scrapes and bruises. Coach was laying with his head against the large pipe groaning. 

“Up ya get Coach. Theres a safe room at the gas station.

Coach was conscious but not entirely there. The bleeding welt on his head suggesting he probably had a concussion. 

“Nick, Ro, can you two carry him?”

Rochelle pulled his left arm over her shoulder while Nick took the right. They helped him to his feet bearing a large part of his considerable weight. 

“Glad- Hes not- Unconsious.” Nick breathed as they moved forward.

“Stay close by me.” Ellis ordered deeply “This place is ripe with witches.” 

They followed the young mans yellow t shirt until they emerged from the leaves onto a paved road. Across the yellow lines lay the sprawled body of another witch, her neck bloody with shotgun pellets. Ellis looked up and down the road circling protectively around them as they limped towards the gas station door. A sickening howl echoed in the distance signaling they would be entertaining a horde soon.

“Book it.” Ellis stood in the doorway as the first wave approached.

He blasted several of the quicker zombies with his shotgun and then stepped backwards towards the safe house door, his machete taking out any zombie foolish enough to come within 3 feet of him. Rochelle grabbed the back of his tied up coveralls as soon as she could reach him pulling him into the safe house as nick shut and secured the door. The four sat in silence for a moment.

“Better see to Coach.” Nick nodded his head. “I suppose I owe you one for that save back there kid.”

“The way I see it once I sew closed that arm of yours you and I are even.”

“I wouldn’t object to a little less blood loss I suppose…” Nick gingerly untied the bandana.

“You should take off your jacket.” Ellis said clearing his throat. 

“Oh…right…” Nick slipped his coat over his shoulders.

He unbuttoned his cuff and rolled up his sleeve. Ellis was surprised to see Nick a little flushed, but as his adrenaline dropped Ellis started to realize how cold it was. His rough mechanic fingers clumsily threaded the needle. The concept of a suture was pretty straight forward, but neither of them were very exited about the idea of Ellis’s first attempt at it. He nervously shoved the needle into the skin for the first stich. The needle hurt but the tightening of the thread was worse. Nick bit down on his knuckle as the second stich went through. Ellis glanced up from his clumsy work to Nicks worsening expression. 

“Hnn…” Nick growled at the third stich. “Y-You’re hands are pretty steady there kid.”

“I suppose there aren’t too many small pieces to car engines but there are enough that if you lose em’ it’s a pain in the ass. You learn to be careful.”

“Hmph.” Nick scoffed with amusement at the idea of Ellis being ‘careful’. “Hrrnnnn” He moaned in pain as Ellis mercilessly tightened the fourth stich. 

“Uh…do you want me to finish that?” Rochelle asked watching Ellis lick his lips and furrow his brow in angry concentration.

“I think I’d be ok with tha-AAAAOW” –snip-

“All done!” Ellis said cheerfully. “you’re welcome Nick!” He swatted the man on the arm chummily. 

“AH-ha-ha!” Nick laughed painfully. “T-thanks I guess…Do we have any more of that vodka?”

“How do you feel about whiskey?” Ellis asked as he searched a knapsack left in the room. 

“You’re shittin me.” Ellis tossed him the bottle. “I’ve never been a fan of American whiskey but this is top shelf shit.” 

Ellis leaned his back against the wall and slid down it resting his elbows on his knees. He flicked the cork off the plantation wine bottle and tipped it back. 

“I thought you were saving that for a special occasion. COACH WAKE UP.” Rochelle causally barked across the room as the large mans head began to bob. 

“I wuz. Now I’m thinking, It’s the zombie freaking apocalypse! My life has hit its high point and probably isn’t getting any more ‘special’ than this.” He laughed drinking deeply. 

“That’s a bit sad…”

“Not at all! I’d say its rather freeing! I feel like a born again Christian! Christ be with you!” He held out his bottle of wine irreverently. 

“Ellis…”

“If I don’t make it back across that cane field, leave me to the zombies.” He crawled forward on his hand and knees, bottle clutched in his fist. “Let me go down swinging! And once I’ve killed them all and dropped dead myself…” He took his good old riffle from Nick and drunkenly stood aiming at nothing. “You take this here sweet little gun my daddy gave me, before he kicked off, and you shoot me. BLAM!” He shouted and mimed imaginary kickback. “Right here.” He dropped to his knees tapping his finger between his eyes, swaying in place. “Right in the good ol’ zombie off-button.”

“Ellis, maybe you should take a nap…”

“Yea?” His eyes rolled in his skull. “M’by I will.” He tipped backwards onto the ground staring at the roof. “M’by…ah…will…”


	9. Hard Rain: Mill escape/Return to town

 

Ellis opened his eyes, his cheek pressed against the cold concrete floor, a small puddle of spit pooling from his mouth. He sat up and wiped his chin. Coach was standing at the door, Rochelle had fallen asleep with her head on Nicks shoulder.

 

“Figures…” He said to himself, belching loudly.

 

“huh-what?” Rochelle sat up quickly gripping her bat.

 

Her sudden movement woke Nick as well.

 

“Good thing you’re up.” Coach said in a deep serious tone. “The rain won’t let up and the cane field is starting to flood. I’m thinking if we don’t head out now we may lose our chance.”

 

They strapped the tanks of diesel to their backs and unbarred the door.

 

“Ey.” Ellis stopped Nick. “Gimme my gun.”

 

“You’re still drunk Ellis. You can’t lift it remember?”

 

Ellis held both his arms straight out in front of him and trudged in a circle like a zombie. “I’m fine, see? I’ll be damned if I’m gonna die without that gun in my hands.”

 

“Fine.” Nick shoved the riffle into the kids chest. “Then I guess I’ll have to hit your _zombie off-button_ with something else then.”

 

“Guys! Stop fighting! We need to get back, all of us, together.” She pushed Nick away. “You’re not gonna die Ellis.” She put her hand on his shoulders and looked directly into his glossy hung-over eyes.

 

Ellis grinned softly at her. “Lead the way ma’am.”

 

The once empty gas station had a dozen or so zombies stumbling about. They tried to run past the road and into the field without being noticed but the rain began to fall so hard they couldn’t see their hand in front of their faces. Rochelle could hear the zombies becoming violent. They pushed forward as fast as they could and reached the Elevator. The zombies chasing after them slammed into the folding door trying to claw at them. The elevator creaking back up the building was summoning more and more zombies to their location. They ran across the tops of the sugar vats, witches wandering and wailing below.

 

They ran back through the machine yard, past the trailer where Nick and Ellis had taken refuge, around the wall littered with zombie corpses and up-turned boomer legs, past the safe house where Ellis was doing target practice. They were making great time. Rochelle even thought they’d get back to the burger joint without stopping.

But she was wrong.

She closed her eyes wearily as the sound of a tank came crashing through the abandoned neighborhood. The four of them said nothing as they shot at the rampaging monster. Nick hit it with a Molotov but the fire went out quickly in the rain. Rochelle was lifted clean off her feet in its giant fist. They fired and reloaded and fired some more as it whipped her around like a rag doll. Coach pulled a combat knife out of his belt and stabbed its hand making it drop her into his arms.

 

“Run!” He shouted as the tank threw Nick through a plywood wall.

 

Coach carried Rochelle to shelter and looked at Ellis standing behind the tank.

 

“Ellis! RUN!” He shouted again motioning him away.

 

Ellis hesitated but saw Rochelle lying limply in Coaches arms. He saw blood on the splinters of plywood where Nick had gone through the wall. Coach was stuck inside a half-broken house with a tank blocking his exit.

 

“RUN!!!”

 

Ellis knew he had to. They had skipped the safe house and lost their chance to grab more ammo. Ellis had two bullets left in his clip and only three spares in his pocket. His P220s were useless against a tank and the best he could do was survive and bring the remaining diesel to Virgil. He turned and ran, the rain and sweat on his face concealing his tears.

 

 

Ellis piled another chair on top of his door barricade. He could still hear the tank rampaging outside. The house he had chosen was sturdy with decent supplies, but that didn’t stop Ellis from breaking things. He grabbed a glass bowl from the coffee table and threw it against the wall. He picked up a wooden chair and broke it across the doorframe. He punched his fists into the re-enforced drywall until his knuckles were a bloody mess. Finally he dropped to his knees and sobbed.

 

“It was supposed to be me…” He whispered into his hands. “I was ready to go…I was ready to die…I’d have died to save them all. In a heartbeat I would…But there was nothing I could do…” He smashed his forehead into the ground sending his hat flying across the floor. “THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO!!!” He pounded his closed fist into the outdated shag carpet. He pounded and pounded at it until, bruised and dehydrated, he fell asleep on the floor.


	10. Hard Rain: Return to town

He heard a tapping sound as he awoke shivering into the soaked carpet. Tap tap, tap tap. He looked up to see Nick in the kitchen trying to light the gas stove.

 

“Oh good, you’re awake. I kind of thought you were dead there for a moment.”

 

“Am I hallucinatin’?” Ellis asked from the floor.

 

“No kid. You’re not hallucinating. I know the circumstances _looked_ bad back there but after the tank threw me into that wall I actually landed pretty safely on the other side. Busted my stiches though.” He brandished his re-stitched arm.

 

Ellis got to his feet and rubbed his eyes.

 

“Anyway, the house I was in had a _goddamn grenade launcher_ in it. Can you believe that?” A fire burst into life on the stove. “Yesss.” Nick smiled. “So I come out of the house with the thing, the grenade launcher, and I see Coach holding Rochelle and telling you to run. I loaded the one grenade I had found into the barrel and shot it from behind giving Coach a chance to escape with the girl. After that I dropped the grenade launcher and got the hell out of there.”

 

Ellis stood in the doorway of the open kitchen.

 

“When I realized the door to this house was pretty damn fortified I figured you’d be in here, so I busted in a window to the basement and came up the back stairs. Tank’s still raging out there so we should probably wait a few hours before we go. You better warm up by the fire before you catch hypother-“

 

Ellis put his arms around Nicks neck silencing him with a soft kiss.

 

“I-I’m sorry…” Ellis pulled away from him. “Its just…I thought you were dead.” He looked down at his feet embarrassed.

 

“Ellis, I need to talk to you.”

 

“No, no I get it, it’s the apocalypse, weird shit happens er what ever… Its probably really bothering you to know that you got, you know, from another guy. But I said I wasn’t gonna make it awkward and I meant what I said. I shouldn’t have kissed you just now, I’m so-“

 

“Would you SHUT UP.” Nick said annoyed. “Ellis I’ve been trying to tell you since the trailer! You think I’m so disgusted by you but I’ve been with men before!”

 

Ellis was shocked. “What? But, your girlfriend…her ashes…”

 

“I’m bisexual Ellis.” He said seriously.

 

“You’re…what?”

 

“I’m attracted to both women _and_ men. It’s not all that uncommon in the north. Although I play it pretty close to the chest in the life I lead…”

 

Ellis looked like a cartoon. His mouth hung open, his eyes wide as they could go.

 

“You forget, I kissed _you_ in that trailer Ellis, not the other way around.”

 

“I-I thought you were just hyped up…It’s the apocalypse their aren’t a lot of girls around. I figured you were just horny…”

 

“When I grabbed your arm and you cried out…Your face…the sound you made…it sounded like, well, sex sounds…” He shrugged. “That mixed with the adrenaline of saving your ass…I couldn’t help myself. Once we got into it I realized it would be wrong of me to take advantage of you and I tried to stop. You’re a kid… you’re my travel companion; I didn’t want to mess anything up. But you…”

 

“ _I_ couldn’t help myself…”

 

“Yea…I’m sorry Ellis. I went too far.”

 

“No.”

 

“Yes, yes I did. I’m twelve years older than you! I was learning how to masturbate when you were _born_!”

 

“NO!” Ellis shouted clenching his fists.

 

“Look kid, I can’t take advantage of you. Its wrong, I _know_ its wrong.”

 

“I AM NOT A KID!” Ellis breathed intensely. “You may have saved me from those witches in the yard, but less than 5 hours ago I saved _you_ from a witch! I know I’m young and irresponsible, but I am an adult! I am a _consenting_ adult! And _you_ don’t get to decide what is taking advantage of me!”

 

The silence after Ellis’s outburst was stabbing.

 

“ _I_ get to decide what is taking advantage of me… _I_ get to decide my fate. For the first time in my life I get to be myself. There’s no society or rules that can tell me otherwise. I don’t want to go back. I don’t want the apocalypse to end.”

 

He crossed the kitchen and kissed Nick again. “I want to decide for myself.”

 

Nick swallowed the lump in his throat. “Uhm…We, uh, should get out of these wet clothes…” He said, his mouth dry with anticipation. “We’ll get sick if we don’t.”

 

They undressed responsibly in opposite corners of the room. They stripped down to their boxers and hug their clothes in the kitchen to dry.

 

“What do we do now?” Ellis asked.

 

“Its up to you. You get to decide.”

 

Ellis took three long strides forward and kissed him, pressing their cold bare chests against each other. They continued to kiss as they stumbled around the corner to the bedroom.

 

 


	11. Hard Rain: Return to Town (Sex)

“So…hah… you’ve…nnn…done this before…?

 

“Do you really want to talk right now?” Nick asked but continued to kiss and lick Ellis’s neck.

 

“I can’t help it. I’m a talker. And, well, I never _have_ done this.”

 

Nick stopped. “Are you sure you’re ok with this?”

 

For once Ellis didn’t talk he just stared up at Nick with an exasperated expression that said _are we really going to go into that again?_

 

Nick kissed his chest. “Well, what have you done?” He asked kissing down his abdomen.

 

“Well, I gave some dude a B.J in a trailer once…”

 

“Ha ha.” Nick spoke flatly. “You were surprisingly good at that you know…” He pulled Ellis’s boxer shorts off exposing him. “Hmn. You’re working with some pretty good machinery too.” He sat up on his knees, his legs on each side of the boy.

 

Looking down at Ellis he realized how beautiful he was. He had tried to ignore it but Ellis was actually his exact type in men. Being bisexual Nick often preferred to assume the ‘dominant’ role. But he also liked a man who was strong and capable of putting _him_ in that role as well. From what he knew about Ellis, he was what he was. He didn’t hide anything from anyone. It was as if suppressing his sexuality his whole life had taken all his will, and because of it nothing else about him was a secret. Ellis loved cars, drinking and talking too much.

 

“N-Nick…” Ellis interrupted. “This is getting’ kinda embarrassing, you starin’ at me like that.”

 

Nick shook his head. He couldn’t believe it, he was actually picturing _being_ with Ellis. He was stunned at the thought that he actually may be developing _feelings_ for this boy. Nick leaned over and kissed Ellis deeply. Ellis was actually quite a good kisser. He had admitted to kissing girls before, but the way he moved his tongue against Nicks suggested he may have made out more than he let on. With his palm, Nick stroked the length of Ellis’s manhood. The young man closed his eyes and continued the kiss. He tried with all his might to keep kissing Nick, he never wanted to _stop_ kissing Nick, but as his soft hand ran up and down to the rhythm of their gently rocking bodies he couldn’t help but tear his lip away and let out a moan.

 

Nick pulled his face away from Ellis’s. _No, come back!_ Ellis wanted to say, but when the gambler took him into his mouth all he could manage to do was reach up and grab the headboard.

 

“Nuh-Nick…” He breathed. “You can’t do it so…uahh.”

 

“So what?” Nick asked and continued to lick and stroke him.

 

“So… well…”

 

“Oh? Why is that?” He said with an evil grin.

 

“I’ve never done… I’ve never had…I’m gonna…”

 

“Go ahead.” Nick whispered.

 

“NnnnnNNN…” Ellis finished, drops scattering across his chest.

 

Nick took red bandana and wiped it off him as his chest rose and fell in deep sharp breathes.

 

“Lets call that payback.” Nick crawled up the bed towards him. “It always bothered me that I finished in the trailer and you didn’t. That’s just selfish sex.” Nick rolled onto his back next to him. “I’m selfish about a lot of things, but sex isn’t one of them. I pride myself on a shared experience.”

 

To Nicks surprise Ellis rolled over on top of him and kissed him passionately. Not a cute afterglow kiss but an _I want more_ kiss.

 

“Woa kid slowdown!”

 

“I’m not a kid.” He breathed. “And you can’t tell me what to do.”

 

Ellis moved his body up and down. Through his boxers Nick could feel Ellis’s cock against his own.

 

“H-how are you that hard? You just came!”

 

“I’m twenty-three.” He breathed licking Nicks earlobe.

 

“I’m jealous.”

 

Nick bear hugged him and rolled him once again onto his back. Ellis intertwined his legs with Nicks. Nick craved to be inside him. He licked and kissed his collar bone and reached for a bottle of baby oil he had found in the bathroom.The bottle of oil tipped over spilling a small pool on the bedside table. Nick couldn’t tear his tongue away from the young mans smooth body. He put his hand into the growing pool of oil and rubbed his fingers together.He ran his fingers around the rim of Ellis’s backside. He teased the edge without putting in.

 

“I’ve waited my whole life, don’t tease me now!” Ellis begged.

 

He put his middle finger in.

 

“Ahh! Nnn!”

 

He put his index finger in. Ellis gasped for air.

 

“It feels kind of intense doesn’t it?” Nick smiled and kissed his chest.

 

Ellis closed his eyes and nodded without making a sound. _We’ll soon fix that._ Nick thought sliding his fingers in and out. As he built up his motion he pushed his fingers as deep as they would go and stopped.

 

“HAHHH” Ellis let out the breath he had been holding.

 

Nick smiled and curled the tips of his fingers.

 

“Ahh! No! I’m gonna come!”

 

“There’s that face I wanted to see. That face you made in the trailer.”

 

“AH! Ahn!”

 

“There’s that sound. The minute I heard that I wanted to take you apart, right there.”

 

“Ah! Ah! Ahnnick!”

 

He moved his fingers in and out twitching the tips, stroking the spot that was driving him crazy.

 

Ellis’s hips shook.

 

“Hmm. Looks like I went too far. “

 

Once again he wiped the pearly drops from Elli’s chest. Ellis reached his hand over to the bedside table slathering the oil on his fingers. He pulled away Nicks boxers and began to rub the oil on his desperate for attention cock. It felt amazing. Nick looked at Ellis and taking hold of the boys dick and stroking him too.

 

“How are you still this hard?” Nick asked through wispy breaths. “You’ve already come twice!”

 

“T-twenty-three-e…” He said opening his knees and lifting his hips.

 

“Are you sure you’re ready for this?”

 

He bit his plump lip and nodded with his eyes tightly shut. He rubbed his oily dick against Ellis’s opening.

 

“This is gonna hurt for a minute kid…” Nick warned. “But once you get used to it…Well, you won’t need the excuse _twenty-three_ anymore.”

 

He pushed inside him. He didn’t go all the way.

“Ah! Ah! It hurts!” Ellis cried.

 

Nick began to pull back.

 

“NO!” Ellis pleaded. “Put it all the way in. It gets better right?” He asked with pleading eyes.

 

“Yep.” Nick slowly pushed all the way inside.

 

“No! No! Ah!”

 

“But it has to get a bit worse before it gets better.”

 

“No, no…” Ellis gasped.

 

“Should I stop?” Nick didn’t want to stop. He wanted to keep going.

 

“N-No…no…”

 

“If I don’t stop now kid no amount of your yelling will stop me…” Sweat dripped off his forehead. Tightly held inside this gorgeous young man he yearned to come.

 

Ellis opened his eyes slightly. His expression was strained, painful.

 

“D-don’t s-stop…”  
  
Nicks mind went blank with desire. He moved his hips slowly out, slowly in and then forgot himself. He went faster and faster.

 

“AH! No! No!”

 

Nick heard nothing, only the sound of his own heartbeat in his red-hot ears. He moved and moved. His breathing becoming labored, his forehead dripping in sweat. He put his arms under Ellis’s knees and when harder and harder. The sound of their body’s coming together keeping time with his lust.

 

“No…No…” Ellis choked through the rhythm.

 

“E-Ellis…” Nick said snapping out of his stupor. He began to think clearly but couldn’t bring himself to stop the rhythm. “D-do you want me to s-s-“

 

“Don’t stop! Don’t…Stop…Nnnn! I’m gonna come!”

 

“Not yet!

 

“I can’t! Its too g-good…”

Without even thinking about it Nick put his hand around Ellis dick and squeezed gently but firmly.

 

“No! I can’t! L-let me come!”

 

“N-not…yet…”

 

The sweat dripping down Nicks chin fell on to Ellis’s stomach. He pushed and pulled in and out of him. He felt a rush of ecstasy and let Ellis go. He pushed in all the way to the hilt, his hips shaking, his muscles burning.

 

“AHHN! AH!” For the last time Ellis came, shooting past his chest this time, the beads of liquid fell upon the bed.

 

The two were exhausted. Nick barely managed to pull himself from Ellis before he fell forward onto the mechanics chest.

 

“You’re right…” Ellis breathed. “There’s no way I could go again.”

 

“Ellis…” Nick lay on his side and looked into the young mans eyes. His blue, beautiful eyes, illuminated every time the moonlight flashed between the clouds. He wanted to tell him that he loved him. He wanted to tell him he would see this apocalypse through by his side. But he couldn’t. He knew he was just high on the post coital drug. He felt sick to his stomach at the idea that Ellis may die in front of him in the not too distant future. He put his hand on his cheek, pulled him close and kissed him.


	12. After Glow

“Y’know, I wanted to die yesterday.” The light was slowly rising but the storm was not over. “That time in the trailer…I thought that was as good as it was ever gonna get for me.” Ellis pulled his Bullshifters shirt over his head.

 

“That? You thought swallowing my cum was the best you were gonna get?”

 

“Well damn, when you say it like _that_ …”

 

“You didn’t even finish.”

 

“Still… Yesterday that was the best my life was ever gonna be. And I was ok with that.”

 

Nick stood in front of him bare chested in his white pants.

 

“Well…Stop all that dying nonsense. “ He put the blue tow truck hat on his head, pushing it down over his eyes.

 

Ellis smiled.

 

“There are plenty of orgasms where that came from, so there’s no reason for you to be kicking off now.”

 

“Plenty?” Ellis pushed up the brim of his hat with his finger.

 

“Millions. Kid, I will fuck the twenty-three out of you before your next birthday.”

 

“You’d have sex with me again?”

 

“Anytime anywhere.”  
  
“But not in front of Coach or Rochelle, that’s indecent.”

 

“Remind me to show you how fun ‘indecent’ can be.”

 

They unbarricaded the door and walked out into the flooded town. On the edge of the horizon they saw the only direct sunlight they would see that day. On a roof far off into the distance Coach and Rochelle were waving.

 

“Well kid, what do you plan to do now? Since you’ve got something to live for.”

 

Ellis rested the stock of his rifle in his waist and drew his machete from his back. “Kill all son’s of bitches.”


End file.
